New kid on the ice: Patrick Roest wins men’s allround speed skating title

DutchNews, March 11, 2018

New world champion Patrick Roest celebrates his win. Photo: AP Photo/
Peter Dejong / HH 

Dutchman Patrick Roest, 22, won the men’s world allround speed skating title on Sunday after favourite Sverre Lunde Pedersen fell during the 10km race and had to be content with silver. 

The bronze went to Marcel Bosker, who was taking part in his first ever world title event. Defending champion Sven Kramer was fourth, after failing again to achieve form in the 10km. 

Pedersen was well on his way to the title in the final 10 km head to head battle against Kramer, the nine-times title holder, when he fell at the end of an inside bend 6,500 metres into the race. 

Though stunned, Pedersen managed to catch up and overtake Kramer but had lost too much time, handing the title to Roest who was world junior champion in 2014 and 2015. 

On Saturday, Japan’s Miho Takagi won the women’s allround title, dethroning Irene Wust and becoming the first woman from Asia to take gold in the event. 

Wust won silver and Annouk van der Weijden, who is has now retired from international speed skating picked up the bronze. 

The men’s competition involves races of 500m, 1,500m, 5km and 10km, the women’s 500m, 1,500m, 3km and 5km. 

An allround experience: watching Sven and Ireen in front of their home crowd

World champion Miho Takagi with Ireen Wust (silver) and Annouk van der 

Weijden (bronze).